Microprocessor Architectures

ABSTRACT

A microprocessor architecture comprises a plurality of processing elements arranged in a single instruction multiple data SIMD array, wherein each processing element includes a plurality of execution units, each of which is operable to process an instruction of a particular instruction type, a serial processor which includes a plurality of execution units, each of which is operable to process an instruction of a particular instruction type, and an instruction controller operable to receive a plurality of instructions, and to distribute received instructions to the execution units in dependence upon the instruction types of the received instruction. The execution units of the serial processor are operable to process respective instructions in parallel.

The present invention relates to microprocessor architectures, and, in particular, to architectures for processors including a SIMD processor array.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 of the accompanying drawings illustrates a previously considered microprocessor architecture which includes a Single Instruction Multiple data (SIMD) processor array. The processor includes a serial processor 10 operable to process non-parallel instructions such as fetching instructions, and performing branching and calculations. The architecture also includes a SIMD array 19 of processing elements 20, which are controlled by an array controller 12. The array controller 12 is controlled by the serial processor 10.

The serial processor 10 receives an instruction stream from an instruction cache (not shown). The serial processor 10 then executes the retrieved serial instructions. The serial processor 10 issues SIMD instructions to the array controller 12 which decodes and prioritises the received SIMD instructions, and sends appropriate control signals to the SIMD array 19 of processing elements (PEs) 20. The SIMD array 19 operates in a known manner, such that the processing elements all carry out the same instructions on data specific to the PE 20.

As illustrated in FIG. 1, the SIMD array 19 comprises an array of processor elements (PEs) 20 which are arranged to operate in parallel. Each PE 20 in the SIMD array 19 contains an Arithmetic Logic Unit (ALU) 22, a register file 24, PE memory 26 and an Input/Output (I/O) unit 26. The SIMD array 19 operates in a synchronous manner, where each PE 20 executes the same instruction at the same time as the other PEs, but using data specific to the individual PE. Each of these execution units in the PE performs a specific task: the ALU 22 performs arithmetic functions, the register file 24 stores data for use by the ALU 22 and for transfer with the internal PE memory 26, and the I/O unit 26 handles data transfer between the PE memory 26 and external memory (not shown). PE data is stored in PE memory 26 and is transferred to the ALU 22 using the register file 24. The array controller 12 issues instructions to the array 19 that cause data to be transferred between the I/O unit 28, the PE memory 26, the register file 24 and the ALU 22, as well as instructions to operate on the data in the ALU 22.

There are some disadvantages with the previously-considered architecture. The instructions are held in one queue to be executed by the PEs, which can cause substantial delay in processing. Also, during the execution of any one instruction, only one execution unit of each PE 20 is occupied. For example, if the instruction is to multiply two numbers together, only the ALU 22 of each PE 20 is working. Alternatively, if the instruction is to fetch a data item from an external memory, then only the I/O 28 of each PE 20 is working.

It is therefore desirable to provide techniques which can overcome these disadvantages.

SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a microprocessor architecture comprising:

-   -   a plurality of processing elements arranged in a single         instruction multiple data SIMD array of execution units, each of         which is operable to process an instruction of a particular         instruction type;     -   a serial processor which includes a plurality of execution         units, each of which is operable to process an instruction of a         particular instruction type; and     -   an instruction controller operable to receive a plurality of         instructions, and to distribute received instructions to the         execution units of the SIMD array and serial processor in         dependence upon the instruction types of the received         instructions,     -   wherein the execution units of the serial processor are operable         to process respective instructions in parallel.

According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a microprocessor architecture comprising:

-   -   a plurality of processing elements arranged in a single         instruction multiple data SIMD array, wherein each processing         element includes a plurality of execution units, each of which         is operable to process an instruction of a particular         instruction type; and     -   an instruction controller operable to receive a plurality of         instructions, and to distribute received instructions to the         execution units of the processing elements in dependence upon         the instruction types of the received instructions,         wherein the execution units of each processing element are         operable to process respective instructions in parallel.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a microprocessor architecture comprising:

-   -   a plurality of processing elements arranged in a single         instruction multiple data SIMD array of execution units; and     -   a serial processor which includes a plurality of execution         units, each of which is operable to process an instruction of a         particular instruction type,     -   wherein one of the execution units of the serial processor is a         register unit operable to store data for processing by at least         one other of the execution units of the serial processor, and     -   wherein the register unit includes a plurality of sets of         registers, which sets are associated with respective processing         threads.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of executing instructions in execution units of a processor which includes a single instruction multiple data array of processing elements, the execution units being operable to process instructions of respective instruction types, the method comprising:

-   -   receiving a stream of instructions;     -   distributing the received instructions to the execution units in         dependence upon the instruction type, such that the execution         units are operable to process respective instructions in         parallel with one another.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram illustrating a previously considered SIMD processor architecture;

FIGS. 2 and 3 are schematic block diagrams illustrating the main elements of respective architectures embodying the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a schematic block diagram of a part of the architectures of FIGS. 2 and 3; and

FIG. 5 is a flow diagram illustrating instruction flow in an embodiment of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating main elements of an architecture embodying the present invention. The architecture of FIG. 2 includes a serial processor 10, a parallel processor 15 and an instruction controller 14. The instruction controller 14 operates to fetch, decode and distribute instructions to the serial processor 10 and to the parallel processor 15, as will be described in detail below. The parallel processor includes an array 19 of PEs 20, and a plurality of sub-controllers. For the sake of clarity, only a single PE is illustrated in FIG. 2. It will be readily appreciated that the SIMD array 19 can include any number of PEs 20. In the example embodiment of FIG. 2, the sub controllers are represented by an array controller 16, a load/store controller 18, and an I/O controller 16. Instructions are directed from the instruction controller to the sub controllers in the parallel processor 15 or to the serial processor 10.

Each PE 20 of the SIMD array 19 comprises, in the example shown in FIG. 2, an arithmetic logic unit (ALU) 22, a Register File (Reg) 24, and an I/O unit (I/O) 26. Each of these execution units in the PE (ALU 22, Register File 24 and I/O 28) perform respective tasks: the ALU 22 performs arithmetic functions, the register file 24 stores data for use by the ALU 22 and for transfer with the internal PE memory 26, and the I/O unit 28 handles data transfer between the internal PE memory 26 and external memory (not shown).

The Instruction controller 14 receives instructions from a cache (not shown) and sorts them into the following categories:

-   -   instructions to be executed by the serial processor 10;     -   instructions to be executed by the ALU 22 of each PE 20 in the         SIMD array 19; and     -   instructions to be executed by the Register file 24 of each PE         20 in the SIMD array 19.     -   instructions to be executed by the I/O unit 28 of each PE 20 in         the SIMD array 19;

The instruction controller 14 then directs the instructions to the Array controller 16, the Load/Store controller 17, the I/O controller 18 or the Serial Processor 10, according to the execution location for the instruction. The Array controller 16, Load/Store controller 17 and I/O controller 18 each sort their received sets of instructions and send them on to the appropriate execution units of the PEs in the SIMD Array.

FIG. 3 illustrates a generalised embodiment of the present invention which again includes an instruction controller 14, a serial processor 10, and a parallel processor 15. In FIG. 3, the parallel processor includes a SIMD array 19 of processing elements (PEs) 36. Again, for the sake of clarity, only a single PE is illustrated in FIG. 3. It will be readily appreciated that the SIMD array 19 can include any number of PEs 20. Each PE includes a number of execution units (N in the example) 37, 38, 39. Each execution unit performs a specific task in the PE, although the same task may be performed by more than one execution unit. In the embodiment of FIG. 3, the parallel processor 15 also includes N sub controllers 30, 32 . . . 34 which receive respective instruction types from the instructions controller. The number of sub controllers in FIG. 3 corresponds to the number of execution units in each PE 36 of the SIMD array 19.

FIG. 3 illustrates the general case; specific examples of execution units include ALU, floating point unit (FPU), multiply-accumulate unit (MAC), I/O control and register storage. It will be readily appreciated that other execution units can be provided in a PE in an embodiment of the invention.

The serial processor 10 also comprises a plurality of execution units. The execution units 101, 102 . . . 10N operate in a similar manner to those in the PEs in the SIMD array. The serial processor includes a controller 10 a which distributes the instructions to the appropriate execution unit. The controller 10 a can be a single controller or can be provided by a plurality of subcontrollers corresponding to respective execution units in the serial processor.

Instructions are received by the instruction controller, and are distributed to the serial processor 10, or to one of the sub controllers 30, 32, 34, in dependence upon the type of instruction. Each sub controller sorts its received instructions and transfers them to the appropriate part of the PEs 36 in the SIMD array for processing.

In one example, one sub controller can forward instructions to more than one execution unit. This would have the advantage of saving space on the IC, at the possible expense of a slight loss of performance.

FIG. 4 illustrates a register file 42 for use in a processing element which includes an execution unit which operates on data stored in the register file, and which is able to process multiple instruction threads. The register file can also be used in the serial processor 10. Such a register file embodies another aspect of the invention. The parallel processor 15 can process a predetermined maximum number of instruction streams (threads). The register file 42 is provided with a set of registers for each such thread. Accordingly, for a parallel processor able to process A threads, the register file 42 comprises A groups registers. Each group includes a predetermined number x of registers. The x registers are provided for storing individual register data items. In one possible example, 128 registers are provided in each group. The register file 42 is accessed via a demultiplexer 44 which is addressed using an addressing unit 40. The addressing unit 40 receives as inputs a thread ID and a register address, in order to generate an overall register address for the multiplexer. In this way, data 48 can be transferred from the register 42 via the demultiplexer 44 as an output signal 50. Such an extended register storage device can enable the fast switching of threads being processed, without the need for output and storage of existing register values, and input of new register values for the next thread. The register file embodying this aspect of the present invention enables multi-tasking. Such an enhanced register file is advantageous because the silicon area used by a longer register is less than the factor by which the register file is increased. For example, for a doubling of the register file size, the silicon area increases by less than twice. This is due to the fact that there is a fixed amount of area used which is independent of the capacity of the register file.

FIG. 5 shows an example of how an instruction stream may be distributed in an embodiment of the present invention. In the example shown, three different instruction threads, A, B and C, each of which contains a number of separate instructions, are queued for supply to the serial processor 10 or parallel processor 15. Thread A, for example, contains instructions A₁, A₂, A₃ and A₄. As an example, the three controllers 16, 17, 18 and serial processor 10 described with reference to FIG. 2 are shown in FIG. 5: the Array controller 16, the load/store controller 17 and the I/O controller 18, in addition to the serial processor 10. Only one PE 20 of the multiple PEs in the SIMD array 19 is shown for the sake of clarity. Instructions from each thread are input to the instruction controller 14. The instruction controller 14 distributes the instructions to each of the controllers 16, 17, 18 or serial processor 10, according to where the instruction is to be executed. In the example shown in FIG. 5, instructions C₃, B₃ and A₄ are arithmetic instructions, and so are to be executed in the ALU. These instructions are therefore distributed to the Array controller 16, since the Array controller 16 controls supply of instructions to the ALU 22. Instructions to be executed in the I/O part 28 are sent to the I/O controller 18, and instructions to be executed in the register file 24 are sent to the load/store controller 17. Each controller can then prioritise its own queue of received instructions. Similarly, instruction C₄ is transferred to the serial processor.

Consider, for example, the instructions of thread C, shown in FIG. 5. Instruction C₃ represents an arithmetic instruction to be performed on operands retrieved using I/O instructions C₁ and C₂. Accordingly, instruction C₃ must be held in the ALU queue until the I/O instructions C₁ and C₂ have been completed.

In this case, rather than first sending instruction C₃to the PE, the array controller is able to send other ALU instructions, from other instructions streams. This prioritisation is also applicable in reverse. For example, an I/O or memory (register file) operation may have to be performed after an ALU instruction in the instruction stream concerned. In such a case, other stream's I/O instructions can be performed whilst the ALU instruction of the other stream is completed.

If instruction B₃, for example, is independent of instructions B₁ and B₂, then it can be processed out of order in thread B.

Such prioritisation enables each execution unit (ALU, memory or I/O) of the PE 20 to be operating for a maximised amount of time. Such a scheme overcomes a disadvantage of the previously-considered systems, namely that the execution units of the PE are unused for significant periods of time when other units are in use. Embodiments of the present invention are then able to provide efficient multithreading capability in a SIMD environment, by scheduling and directing the individual instructions from the instruction streams as described above. 

1-33. (canceled)
 34. A microprocessor architecture comprising: a plurality of processing elements arranged in a single instruction multiple data SIMD array, wherein each processing element includes a plurality of execution units, each of which is operable to process an instruction of a particular instruction type; and an instruction controller operable: to receive a plurality of instruction streams relating to respective processing threads, each instruction stream containing a plurality of instruction items each of which is one of said particular instruction types; to retrieve instruction items from said instruction streams; and to distribute received instruction items from any of the instruction streams to the plurality of execution units in dependence upon the instruction types of the retrieved instructions; wherein the execution units of each processing element are operable to process respective instructions in parallel with one another.
 35. A microprocessor architecture as claimed in claim 34, wherein the instruction types include data processing and data movement instructions.
 36. An architecture as claimed in claim 34, wherein the instruction controller is operable to distribute instructions from at least two different instruction streams to the execution elements for parallel processing thereof.
 37. An architecture as claimed in claim 34, wherein the instruction controller is operable to distribute instructions such that the order in which successive instruction items from the instruction streams are distributed to the execution units is prioritised, based on dependency of an instruction item on another instruction item or items in the instruction stream concerned.
 38. A microprocessor architecture as claimed in claim 34, wherein one of the execution units of each processing element in the SIMD array is a register unit operable to store data for processing by at least one other of the execution units of the processing element concerned; wherein the register unit includes a plurality of sets of registers, which sets are associated with respective processing threads.
 39. A microprocessor architecture as claimed in claim 34, further comprising a serial processor which includes a plurality of second execution units, each of which is operable to process an instruction of a particular instruction type; said instruction controller operable to distribute received instructions to the execution units of the SIMD array and to the second execution units of the serial processor in dependence upon the instruction types of the received instructions; wherein the second execution units are operable to process respective instructions in parallel.
 40. A microprocessor architecture as claimed in claim 39, wherein one of the execution units of the serial processor is a register unit operable to store data for processing by at least one other of the execution units of the serial processor, and wherein the register unit includes a plurality of sets of registers, which sets are associated with respective processing threads.
 41. A microprocessor architecture comprising: a plurality of processing elements arranged in a single instruction multiple data SIMD array of execution units; and a serial processor which includes a plurality of execution units, each of which is operable to process an instruction of a particular instruction type, wherein one of the execution units of the serial processor is a register unit operable to store data for processing by at least one other of the execution units of the serial processor, and wherein the register unit includes a plurality of sets of registers, which sets are associated with respective processing threads.
 42. An architecture as claimed in claim 41, wherein each processing element includes a plurality of execution units, each of which is operable to process an instruction of a particular instruction type, and wherein one execution unit of each processing element is a register unit operable to store data for processing by at least one other of the execution units of the processing element concerned, wherein the register unit includes a plurality of sets of registers, which sets are associated with respective processing threads.
 43. An architecture as claimed in claim 41, wherein the serial processor includes a plurality of execution units, and wherein the architecture further comprises an instruction controller operable to receive a plurality of instructions, and to distribute received instructions to the execution units in dependence upon the instruction types of the received instructions, the execution units being operable to process respective instructions in parallel.
 44. An architecture as claimed in claim 41, wherein each processing element includes a plurality of execution units, each of which is operable to process an instruction of a particular instruction type, and wherein the architecture further comprises an instruction controller operable to receive a plurality of instructions, and to distribute received instructions to the execution units of the processing elements in dependence upon the instruction types of the received instructions, the execution units of each processing element being operable to process respective instructions in parallel.
 45. A microprocessor architecture comprising: a plurality of processing elements arranged in a single instruction multiple data SIMD array, wherein each processing element includes a plurality of execution units, one of the execution units being a register unit operable to store data for processing by at least one other of the execution units of the processing element concerned, wherein the register unit includes a plurality of sets of registers, which sets are associated with respective processing threads.
 46. An architecture as claimed in claim 45, wherein each processing element includes a plurality of execution units, each of which is operable to process an instruction of a particular instruction type, and wherein the architecture further comprises an instruction controller operable to receive a plurality of instructions, and to distribute received instructions to the execution units of the processing elements in dependence upon the instruction types of the received instructions, the execution units of each processing element being operable to process respective instructions in parallel.
 47. An architecture as claimed in claim 43, wherein the instruction types include data processing and data movement instructions.
 48. An architecture as claimed in claim 44, wherein the instruction controller is operable to receive a plurality of instruction streams relating to respective processing threads, and to distribute instructions from at least two different instruction streams to the execution elements of the processing elements for parallel processing thereof.
 49. An architecture as claimed in claim 44, wherein the instruction controller is operable to receive a plurality of instruction streams relating to respective processing threads, and to distribute instructions to the processing elements such that successive instructions distributed to the execution units are from different instruction streams.
 50. An architecture as claimed in claim 41, wherein the or each register unit includes an addressing unit for accessing data stored in the registers of the register unit concerned, the addressing unit being operable to receive a register address and a thread indicator, and to access the register of the register unit in dependence upon received register address and thread indicator information.
 51. A method of executing instructions in execution units of a processor which includes a plurality of processing elements arranged in a single instruction multiple data SIMD array, wherein each processing element includes a plurality of execution units, each of which is operable to process instructions of a particular instruction type, the method comprising: receiving a plurality of instruction streams relating to respective processing threads, each instruction stream containing a plurality of instruction items each of which is one of said particular instruction types; retrieving instruction items from said instruction streams; and distributing retrieved instructions from any of the instruction streams to the plurality of execution units in dependence upon the instruction types of the retrieved instruction items; such that the execution units of each processing element process respective instructions in parallel with one another.
 52. A method as claimed in claim 51, wherein the instruction types include data processing and data movement instructions.
 53. A method as claimed in claim 51, wherein the instructions are distributed from at least two different processing threads to the execution elements for parallel processing thereof.
 54. A method as claimed in claim 51, further comprising prioritising the order in which successive instruction items from the instruction streams are distributed to the execution units, based on dependency of an instruction item on another instruction item or items in the instruction stream concerned.
 55. A method as claimed in claim 51, wherein the instructions include instructions from a single processing thread, said instructions being distributed to the execution units for parallel processing thereof.
 56. A method as claimed in claim 51, wherein one of the execution units of each processing element in the SIMD array is a register unit operable to store data for processing by at least one other of the execution units of the processing element concerned; wherein the register unit includes a plurality of sets of registers, which sets are associated with respective processing threads.
 57. A method as claimed in claim 51, wherein the processor further comprises a serial processor which includes a plurality of second execution units each operable to execute instructions of a particular instruction type, and wherein the second execution units are operable to process respective instructions in parallel.
 58. A method as claimed in claim 57, wherein one of the execution units of the serial processor is a register unit operable to store data for processing by at least one other of the execution units of the serial processor, and wherein the register unit includes a plurality of sets of registers, which sets are associated with respective processing threads.
 59. A method of accessing registers in a microprocessor architecture comprising a plurality of processing elements arranged in a single instruction multiple data SIMD array of execution units, and a serial processor which includes a plurality of execution units, wherein one of the execution units of the serial processor is a register unit operable to store data for processing by at least one other of the execution units of the serial processor, the register unit including a plurality of sets of registers, which sets are associated with respective processing threads, the method comprising: receiving an access request, which includes a thread identifier and a register identifier; and accessing one of the registers in dependence upon the received thread identifier and register identifier.
 60. A method as claimed in claim 59, wherein each processing element includes a plurality of execution units, each of which is operable to process an instruction of a particular instruction type, and wherein one execution unit of each processing element is a register unit operable to store data for processing by at least one other of the execution units of the processing element concerned, each register unit including a plurality of sets of registers, which sets are associated with respective processing threads, wherein accessing one of the registers includes accessing a register of an execution unit of a processing element.
 61. A method as claimed in claim 59, wherein the serial processor includes a plurality of execution units, the method further comprising: receiving a stream of instructions; distributing the received instructions to the execution units in dependence upon the instruction type, such that the execution units process respective instructions in parallel with one another.
 62. A method as claimed in claim 59, wherein each processing element includes a plurality of execution units, each of which is operable to process an instruction of a particular instruction type.
 63. A method of accessing registers in a microprocessor architecture comprising a plurality of processing elements arranged in a single instruction multiple data SIMD array, wherein each processing element includes a plurality of execution units, one of the execution units being a register unit operable to store data for processing by at least one other of the execution units of the processing element concerned, wherein the register unit includes a plurality of sets of registers, which sets are associated with respective processing threads, the method comprising: receiving an access request, which includes a thread identifier and a register identifier; and accessing one of the registers in dependence upon the received thread identifier and register identifier.
 64. A method as claimed in claim 63, wherein each processing element includes a plurality of execution units, each of which is operable to process an instruction of a particular instruction type, the method further comprising: distributing received instructions to the execution units of the processing elements in dependence upon the instruction types of the received instructions, such that the execution units of each processing element process respective instructions in parallel.
 65. A method as claimed in claim 59, wherein the instruction types include data processing and data movement instructions.
 66. A method as claimed in claim 63, wherein the instruction types include data processing and data movement instructions.
 67. An architecture as claimed in claim 45, wherein the or each register unit includes an addressing unit for accessing data stored in the registers of the register unit concerned, the addressing unit being operable to receive a register address and a thread indicator, and to access the register of the register unit in dependence upon received register address and thread indicator information. 